Eagle Ford: Police bust three suspected thieves

FLORESVILLE -- Three city residents are awaiting consideration of their cases by a grand jury after being arrested by the Floresville Police Department on theft charges.

Joseph Michael Castillo, 30, was arrested Jan. 3 and charged with theft of property worth more than $1,500 but less than $20,000. Floresville Detective George Ortiz said earlier that day, an employee of Bolf Sales & Services on U.S. 181 in Floresville called police to report that someone in a green pickup truck stole several heavy-truck parts, such as rear ends, manifolds, and cylinder heads from their property.

A vehicle matching the description of the one involved in the crime was spotted outside a home near the corner of Second and Railroad streets in Floresville. Floresville Patrolman John Muñoz spoke with Castillo, who allegedly admitted to taking the items because he thought they were trash, and selling some of them to a salvage yard. Police then arrested Castillo and transported him to the Wilson County Jail, where records indicate he later was released after posting $10,000 bond.

“People see items such as copper, metal, and batteries lying around and they’ll take them sometimes quicker than they’ll break into a house, because salvage yards are paying them top dollar,” Detective Ortiz said. “People should be on the lookout and call us if they spot any suspicious activity. Even if they think it’s nothing, they should call us.”

Police have filed additional charges against a couple who allegedly have been writing bad checks throughout the area. Freddie Ortiz II, 26, and his wife, 20-year-old Sherry Josephine Ortiz, were arrested Jan. 3 by Floresville Patrolman Billy Herrera. Both were charged with theft by check of property worth more than $20 but less than $500.

The charges against the two stemmed from a Dec. 5 incident at Pizza Hut on U.S. 181 in Floresville, where the couple allegedly tried to pay for purchases with a check, according to a report by Sgt. Daria Fowler. Employees recognized the couple from a previous incident, which resulted in a check being returned for insufficient funds.

Freddie Ortiz II, who also was arrested on an unrelated charge of filing a false report to a police officer stemming from a Jan. 2 incident, is being held in the Wilson County Jail on a total of $3,000 bond. His wife is being held on a total of $1,500 bond. Both were arrested in December, each charged with theft of services worth more than $20,000 but less than $100,000, after allegedly cashing $52,000 in bogus checks from “Triple V Construction” at H-E-B Supermarket in Floresville.

Anyone who received checks from Triple V Construction is asked to call Detective George Ortiz at the Floresville Police Department at 830-393-4055.